Locking device for picker-machines.



T, H. WALSH.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR PIGKER MACHINES. APILIGATION FILED DEC. 2, 1911.

1,044,834. U Patented Nov. 19, 1912.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60., WASHINGTON. D. C.

THOMAS H. WALSH, OF WEST WAREHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR PICKER-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 19, 1912.

Application filed December 2, 1911. Serial No. 663,586.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. WALSH, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vest VVareham, in the county of Plymouth and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Looking Devices for Picker-Machines, of which the following is a full and accurate description.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a safe and simple means of locking the bonnets of the beater-box on a picker machine as long as the machine is in operation, and which cannot be unlocked until the machine has come to a full stop; a means, further, that requires two separate operations to unlock it, the second of which cannot be performed at all until the machine shall have come to rest. f

Although I have used my locking device for the specific purpose above set forth, it is evident that such a safety device might be employed on a great variety of machines for purposes germane to those machines. It will be shown, moreover, that the operator must himself perform these two stages of unlocking the mechanism by hand and when stationed at a place distant from the place from which the bonnets may be opened or raised, so that some time must elapse after he has performed each unlocking operation before he can get to a place where he can open the bonnets, so that he will not be tempted to try to raise the honnets after he has performed the first operation only. The mechanism by which these objects are attained are set forth in the following description, reference being made to the drawings which accompany this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a top plan view of my device when it is in position to keep the bonnets locked and the machine is running; Fig. 2 represents my device by a similar view but shows the position assumed by my device when the operator has performed the first unlocking operation, and the machine is coming to rest; Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the position of parts when the operator has performed the second or final operation for unlocking, and the machine has come to a full stop. Fig. 4 represent-s an end view of that part of a picker machine to which my device is attached; Fig. 5 represents a side view of arm 42, which is attached to latch-rod 32' by set-screw 43;

while Fig. 6 is a representation of part of rod 4 seen from the front, showing notch 45 therein.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the top frame of a picker or beater, which carries a counter-shaft 2 in sleeves 3 and the shipper bar 4 in bearings 5. At one end of shaft 2 is fly wheel 6 and at the opposite end is a clrcular flange or disk 7 having its outer face flat. On shaft 2 is also a loose pulley 8 and a fast pulley 9, and on shipper-bar 4 are belt guides 10. Suitably supported by frame 1 is the shipper crank 11, connected with the shipper-bar 4 by a bracket 12, and having a handle 13, by turning which the shipper-bar 4 is reciprocated in its bearings 5 and the belt (not shown) is thrown on and off the pulleys 8 and 9, as is usual in such machines.

On shipper-bar 4 is a fixed bar or rod 14, which I have named the shipper-bar bracket, which has at one end a fork15 and at the other an eye 16, which has its sides flat and parallel. Between eye 16 and the shipperbar 4, integral with bracket 14, is a similar fork 17. From the right-hand bearing 5, by means of bridgework 18, is supported a bar 19, parallel to shipper-bar bracket 14. In the ends of bar 19 and in the legs of fork l5 and also in the legs of fork 17 are horizontal holes 20, all having their axes par allel and through which are inserted long rods or plungers 21, which I have named safety-bar plungers, the ends of which pass through the forks 15 and 17, as described above, and are held fast by means of collars 22, which fit within said fork and hole 17, and set screws 23. These collars 22 fit their respective holes a trifle loosely, thus allowing plungers 21 a little horizontal play.

On each side of the ends of bar 19 are two collars 24 and 24 24 being pierced through its center by a horizontal hole of sufficient size to allow the free passage of plungers 21. Collars 24 are provided with a sleeve 25 which passes through the holes in the end of bar 19 and on which are fastened collars 24 by set screws. In this manner, collars 24 are revolubly supported on the ends of bar 19. A rectangular aperture 26 extends through the collar portion of each 24 and in this aperture is slidably supported a safety-bar 27, which is connected to the bonnets 28 and gage-box doors 28 of beater-box 29. In each safetybar 27 is a single hole of the same size as On each side of eye 16 is a collar, 30

and 30 30 having a cylindrical portion or sleeve which is free to revolve in eye 16,

and bears against the inner side of collar 30*. The sleeve of 30 is a trifle longer than the thickness of eye 16, to prevent binding. On a bearing 31 of frame 1 a round rod 32 is slidably mounted and passes through holes 33 in collars 30 and 30, and at the end of rod 32 a collar 34 is secured by set screw 35. Collar 30 is secured, also, to rod 32 by set screw 36. Compression spring 37 is footed upon collars 34 and 30 On the other end of rod 32 is an arm 38, rigidly secured to rod 32 by a set screw 39, and on the inside of arm 38 is a projection 40, adapted to bear against the smooth face of disk 7 near its outer edge. On the end of arm 38 is a: weight 41, which tends to cause it to rest on shaft 2 (see Fig. 4.) Another arm 42 is fastened by set screw 43 to rod 32, having as its termination a strip of steel 44, in which there is more or less elasticity. The extremity of 44 is bifurcate, bar 4 passing between the upper leg 44 and the lower leg 44". Arm 42 is fastened to rod 32 at such an angle that when arm 38 is a little above shaft 2, the upper leg 44 has its lower edge out of contact with bar 4 and its lower leg 44 has its upper edge in contact with the lower edge of bar 4. In the upper surface of bar 4, at point 45, is a notch 45, the purpose of which is to engage the lower edge of leg 44 when it is forced into contact with the upper edge of bar 4 (as will be presently explained), and when so engaged, arm 42-44, by bringing up against the inner side of bearing 5 will prevent bar 4 from being moved farther toward the left.

The means employed for bringing leg 44 into contact with bar 42 is as follows,-

Shaft 2 revolves as indicated in Fig. 4 and when projection 40 on arm 38 is brought into contact with the outer edge of the face of disk 7, the friction therebetween causes the end of arm 38 to rise, thereby causing the end of arm 42-44 to descend, which brings leg 44 down against bar 4. The end of bar 4 is slidably mounted, by means of rod 46 which has an eye in its end, on rod 32, which I call the latch rod.

Having now described the construction of my device, I will explain the operation thereof. In Fig. 1, which shows the parts of my device as they appear when the machine is running and the beater bonnets are closed, the belt, which drives the beater blades, is running on the fast pulley 9, held in position by guides 10. Plungers 21,

which pass through the registered holes in revolving guides 24 and safety-bars 27, as explained above, lock said safety-bars in posit-ion and prevent the operative from sliding the safety-bars up through apertures 26 which must be done to open the bonnets. The other parts of the device will be in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The upper leg of fork 44 will be out of contact with bar 4 and the whole ap paratus will be pushed as far as-possible toward the right, thus bringing arms 44 and 38 out of contact with'bearing 5 and disk 7 respectively. Spring 37 is eX- .tended.

Suppose now the operative desires to open the bonnets. By means of crank 11 and handle 13, he pulls back shipper-bar 4 toward the left as far as he can, thus shifting the belt to the loose pulley 8 by means of guides 10. As bar 4 travels toward the left, at a certain point projection 40 will hit disk 7, and, as heretofore explained, the rotary motion thereof will raise the end of arm 38 and thereby depress the end of arm 42, thus bringing the leg 44 into contact with the upper edge of bar 4, and as bar 4 travels, it carries with it latch-rod 32, the mot-ionbeing communicated through spring 37. Arm 42, therefore, being fixedly secured to rod 32, is carried to the left also, until it brings up against bearing 5; then,

when notch 45 reaches leg 44, 44 is resting g in said notch and prevents further motion of bar 4 toward the left. The purpose of having spring 37 instead of a rigid connec tion between bar 4 and rod 32 is to prevent the unnecessary and dangerous jar when projection 40 strikes disk 7, and also allows a little play of spring 44 which is timed to reach bearing 5 a moment before notch 45 does. When leg 44, by entering notch 45,

has stoppedfurther progressof bar 4 toweight 41 on the end of arm 38 causes it to fall and thereby raises the end of arm 42, which releases leg 44 from notch 45. The operator is then at liberty to move bar 4 to the left, even after projection 40 has touched disk 7 again, as spring 37 will allow collar 30", carrying with it bar 4, to move a little toward the left, notch 45 passing bearing 5 and plungers 21, being withdrawn entirely from the holes in safety-bars 27 the parts of the machine taking the position shown in Fig. 3. The operator is now at liberty to slide safety-bars 27 upward through apertures 26, thus allowing the opening of the bonnets.

When the operator desires to start the machine, he must first close both covers, as otherwise, when he tries to throw the belt onto the fast pulley, the ends of plungers 21 will strike safety-bars 27 which are blocking the holes in revolving guides 24*, and since plungers 21 are rigidly secured to bar 4, this stops movement of bar 4: to the right. IVhen he closes the bonnets, however, the holes in safety-bars 27 will register with those in guides 24:", and plungers 21 will be free to pass therethrough, thus allowing bar t to be thrown to the right, carrying with it rod 32, arms 42 and 38, thereby allowing leg 44: to rise from notch 45. As bar 4: passes to the right, the belt is carried onto the fast pulley 9, the plungers 21 pass through safety-bars 27, the bonnets are locked, and the machine started.

Having now described my invention and its method of operation, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,-

1. In a machine, the combination of a shipper-bar, means for reciprocating said shipper-bar, the driving shaft, fast and loose pulleys thereon, a belt on said pulleys, and mechanism operated by said driving shaft for preventing a complete reciprocation of said bar when the belt is thrown from the fast to the loose pulley until said driving shaft has come to rest.

2. In a machine, a shaft, a shipper, mechanism. operated by said shipper for unloclc ing parts of said machine, and further mechanism, operated by said shaft, for preventing the completion of said unlocking opera tion until the machine stops.

8. In a machine, the combination of a sliding bar, a revolving shaft, means connected with said bar for locking and unlocking parts of said machine, and further means, operated by said shaft, for preventing the said unlocking operation in a single stage.

A. In a machine of the kind described, a beater-box, coverings thereon, safety-bars for closing said coverings, a driving shaft, a looseand a tight pulley thereon, a belt thereon, a shipper for said belt, and means attached to said shipper for locking and releasing said coverings.

5. In a machine of the kind described, a beater-box, coverings thereon, means for locking and releasing said coverings, a driving shaft, fast and loose pulleys thereon, a

belt on said pulleys, a shipper, means operated by said shipper for controlling the op eration of said locking and releasing means, and means, operated by said shaft, for controlling the operation of said shipper.

6. In a machine of the kind described, a sliding bar, plungers thereon, slidably supported by revoluble guides, a beater-box, coverings thereon, safety-bars slidably supported in said guides, for closing and opening said coverings, and holes in said safetybars, as and for the purpose described.

7. In a machine of the kind described, a sliding bar, a driving shaft, parallel thereto and means carried by said sliding bar and operated by said shaft for stopping the sliding motion of said sliding bar.

8. In a machine of the kind described, a sliding bar, a notch therein, a latch-rod operated by said bar, an arm on said rod adapt-- ed to engage said notch, a stop for said arm, a driving shaft, and a second arm on said latch-rod, operated by said shaft to engage said first-mentioned arm with said not-ch.

9. In a machine of the kind described, the driving shaft, fast and loose pulleys thereon, a belt on said pulleys, a disk thereon, the shipper bar parallel thereto, a latch-rod carried thereby in spring connection, and an arm on the latch-rod adapted to contact with said disk, when said shipper-bar is moved to shift the belt from the fast to the loose pulley.

10. In a machine of the kind described, a frame, a counter-shaft therein, a shipperbar slidably supported by said frame, a notch thereon, means for reciprocating said shipper-bar, a beater-box, bonnets and doors thereon, safety-bars attached to said b011- nets and doors, holes in the safety-bars, revolving guides supported on said frame, holes therein adapted to register with the holes in said safety-bars, within which said shipper-bar is slidable, a rod connected with said shippenbar provided with an arm adapted to engage aforesaid notch, a stop fo-rsaid arm on said frame, and a second arm on said rod, having its end adapted to be raised by friction against said shaft, thus forcing said first-mentioned arm into said notch before said arm reaches said stop, and before the end of the shipper-bar is withdrawn from the holes in said safety-bars, as and for the purpose described.

THOMAS H. WALSH.

Witnesses:

CLARENCE J. SMERDON, CHARLES W. YOUNG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

